Huining Xiao

Elongated nanoparticles offer distinct advantages over spherical nanoparticles in bioimaging applications, particularly due to their extended in vivo retention time. In this study, we for the first time demonstrate the utilization of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) as template carriers along with their surface aldehyde functional groups, via in situ growth and surface covalent bonding, to construct near‐infrared II (NIR‐II) fluorescent nanoprobes with finely tunable aspect ratios ranging from 1.07 to 18.60. These nanoprobes exhibit excellent colloidal stability, biocompatibility, and intense NIR‐II absorption/emission properties, making them highly suitable for deep‐tissue fluorescence imaging. Systematic in vivo investigations reveal a clear aspect ratio‐dependent biodistribution behavior: the small‑sized rod‑shaped nanoprobes exhibit superior tumor retention effect, while the approximately spherical smaller nanoprobes possess rapid tumor penetration capability. Our work not only elucidates the critical role of nanoparticle geometry in modulating biodistribution and tumor targeting efficiency but also establishes a versatile CNC‐based imaging platform with high translational potential for vascular and oncological diagnostics. These findings provide valuable design principles for developing next‐generation NIR fluorescent probes tailored for precision biomedical imaging.

Benefiting from the porous channels of wood, in situ growth of MOFs, and accessible Ni ₂ P active-sites, Ni ₂ P@C/CW-1 exhibits enhanced overall water-splitting performance.

Achieving mechanical robustness, efficient ion transport, environmental tolerance, and energy conversion in a sustainable soft conductor remains challenging. Herein, a low-water-content supramolecular gel (PLPG) was fabricated via evaporation-induced co-assembly of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), phytic acid (PA), and lignosulfonate (LS). Evaporation reconstructed a ternary hydrogen-bonding network. At an optimized LS content, PLPG-L0.5 exhibited 267 kPa tensile strength and 0.2676 S m−1 ionic conductivity, retaining flexibility and conductivity after 7 days at −20 °C. As a strain sensor, it showed electrical responses after 3000 s cyclic loading tests and enabled monitoring of human motion. The aromatic conjugated structure of LS allowed rapid heating above 65 °C under solar irradiation (0.1 W cm−2). Integrated with a thermoelectric generator, the system tuned the electrical output with light intensity and drove a miniature fan. This offers a strategy for lignin-based soft materials integrating wearable sensing and photothermal energy conversion.

With the continual reinforcement of low-carbon and environmental protection concepts, the development of high-performance formaldehyde-free bio-based adhesives has become a research hotspot in application fields. The robust meniscal structure is composed of a rigid, interwoven fiber skeleton and a glycosaminoglycan-rich buffering layer. In this study, citric acid was used as a cross-linking agent to react with active groups on starch, thereby constructing a rigid cross-linking network. Meanwhile, hyperbranched polyurea (HPU) was introduced into the adhesive system via covalent and hydrogen bonding, serving as a buffer layer to dissipate stress and enhance system toughness. Compared with the unmodified starch adhesive, the pre-pressing strength of SA/HPU10 adhesive was increased to 0.80 MPa, representing an increase of 700%. Dry and wet shear strengths were increased to 1.94 MPa and 1.31 MPa, respectively, corresponding to increases of 84.8% and 627.8%, respectively. The work of adhesion was increased by 830.6% to 1270.3 mJ, and toughness was significantly enhanced. In addition, the coating performance and mold resistance were significantly improved through biomimetic modification. Together with the life cycle assessment results, these findings indicate that the bio-based biomimetic SA/HPU10 adhesive has considerable potential to balance environmental sustainability and practical performance and may serve as a next-generation adhesive.

An in vitro model investigated the pH-dependent interfacial complexation of gallic acid (GA)−mucin and role of mucin in astringency. Phase behavior, electrokinetics, adsorption dynamics, and lubrication properties were systematically analyzed.

Developing binder-free electrocatalysts with integrated conductive networks, accessible active sites, and efficient mass transport is important for sustainable hydrogen production. Herein, a wood-templated metal–organic framework (MOF)-derived Fe-P self-supported electrode, denoted as Fe2P@FeC/CW, was prepared through in-situ growth of MIL-101(Fe), carbonization, and phosphidation. Natural pine wood served as a renewable structural template, carbon source, and self-supported substrate. The aligned channels and oxygen-containing functional groups of wood enabled MIL-101(Fe) crystals to anchor on the channel walls and transform into well-dispersed Fe-based species during thermal treatment. After phosphidation, Fe2P active phases were integrated into the wood-derived carbon framework while retaining the hierarchical porous architecture. Fe2P@FeC/CW exhibited a high specific surface area of 820.5 m2 g-1, abundant micro/mesopores, and uniformly distributed Fe and P species. For hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), it required overpotentials of 167, 238, and 288 mV at 50, 100, and 200 mA cm-2 in 1.0 M KOH, respectively, and maintained favorable activity in 0.5 M H2SO4. The electrode also showed stable operation over 40 h and after 2,000 CV cycles. For oxygen evolution reaction(OER), Fe2P@FeC/CW also exhibited promising OER activity in 1.0 M KOH, requiring overpotentials of 251 and 342 mV at 100 and 500 mA cm-2, respectively. This work provides a feasible strategy for constructing wood-based MOF-derived self-supported electrodes for electrocatalytic hydrogen and oxygen evolution.